Bad Ass Krav Maga by Moshe Katz

We just completed some great
training at the Counter Terrorism School; this was part of our Tour and Train
program. One of our counter-terrorism instructors was having a conversation in Hebrew
with a group of security guards who had come to complete their course. Some of these guards were hoping to someday be employed
at this special school and were interested in knowing what it takes to be a
Counter-Terrorism instructor.

He is actually a rather soft,
teddy bear of an individual but indeed capable of inflicting great damage.

So the guys, the hopefuls, were
asking if that "look" was part of the criteria to be accepted as an
instructor. The Instructor responded "absolutely not". In fact he pointed
out that the most serious counter-terrorism expert on this base does not fit
that profile at all. He mentioned the instructor by name, for sake of security
and privacy I will not include his name.

This individual, he said, is
called back to the IDF so often that he is on active duty more than he is at
the Counter Terrorism school. He said, "He is a monster and has more enemy
blood on his hands that any of us here. Most of what he has done cannot be
discussed." And yet, "Don’t be fooled by his appearance; short,
thin, grey hair, not very muscular."

The big muscular guy knew who
the real heroes are.

Not more than a few minutes
later I was sitting at the table and a woman, visiting from Belgium, was
talking with some of our students. She asked if they are part of a program,
"Yes, we are part of a Krav Maga Tour and Train program and this is our
instructor Moshe."

She takes a look at me and
says, "You don't look very tough". Now where I come from that is not
really considered very polite. Imagine If I am introduced to a professional
model and I say, "Hmm, funny, you don't look that pretty." But that
is what she said.

So I used some logic. If one
had to be built like a body builder in order to be a Krav Maga instructor than
what would that say about our system? What would that say about your chances to
learn to defend yourself using Krav Maga?

I can take you for ten days
of training and you will be able to defend yourself, without first having to
become a body builder covered with tattoos. If all Krav Maga instructors were
built like tanks what would this say about Krav Maga? Our entire point is that
we can train anyone to defend themselves, with the body that they currently
have.

Is man the strongest creature
on earth? Is man faster than a cheetah, stronger than a lion, more powerful
than a bear? No, man is weaker and slower than nearly all animals but yet we
dominate the world.Why? not because of our physical strength but because of our
minds, and that is the key to self defense.

In some schools the highest
honor to be bestowed upon a student is being called "animal", but I
disagree. I want to be a human, capable of controlling myself and knowing how
to handle each and every situation; sometimes by fighting, sometimes by talking,
and sometimes by walking away.

Some students are drawn to
the "Bad Ass" Krav Maga instructors, they like to be hit and hurt,
they live vicariously through the imagined power of the instructor, they like
to be "around the glory".

But that is all hype and
Hollywood style nonsense. Like a beautiful girl in a bikini leaning on a new
car; the car is for sale in this advertisement, not the girl. But by
association the weak and insecure male feels that by putting down his life
savings on this car he is somehow closer to "the glory, the action, the
hype", but it is all vanity and not real. One would do better to buy a car
endorsed by a greasy mechanic.

Don't be fooled by hype, go
for the real thing.

Krav Maga Tour and Train Israel

IKI Tour and Train
in Israel, 10 days of intensive Krav Maga training combined with
touring sites of historical significance - understanding the roots and
spirit of Krav Maga. Option for staying with local Israeli families and
getting a taste of the real Israel.

Next session:

June 10 - 20, 2013,

pre-registration required.($250 deposit)

Train in Israel and make friends from all over the world.

Are you a Krav Maga instructor?

Do you know your history?

Read the Book, Israel, A Nation of Warriors by Moshe Katz

Now available on Kindle

Over 250 pages, the history of Israel and the Jewish people as a
fighting nation from the days of Abraham to our own times. The book
covers the history and roots of Krav Maga and the modern Israeli Defense
Forces. The book analyzes what makes Israeli security the best in the
world.